'Queen Bees' author to discuss bullying during adults-only lecture

WHITEHALL, MI -- With incidents of bullying making headlines on almost a daily basis, what can parents really do about it?

Plenty, according to a best-selling author whose work was the inspiration for “Mean Girls,” a classic film about the devastating impact of high school girl cliques.

Rosalind Wiseman will give an “adults-only” public presentation at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at Whitehall High School. Wiseman is the author of “Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping your Daughter Survive Cliques,” and “Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World.”

During her “Creating Cultures of Dignity” talk, Wiseman will provide parents and other adults tips on preventing bullying in the world of Facebook and texting. Parents are encouraged to attend, but so are teachers and others who work with young people.

Wiseman will discuss ways to help children develop healthy friendships, how to address cruel texts and devastating Facebook posts and tactful approaches to letting other parents know their children are bullies.

Wiseman also will be meeting privately with staff at Whitehall District Schools earlier in the day.

Tickets to Wiseman’s talk are $10 for Montague and Whitehall residents and $15 for all others. They are available at Whitehall middle and high schools, the Book Nook and Java Shop in Montague and online at the district’s website, www.whitehallschools.net.

While the event is adults only, free child care will be available at the high school for children over age 4.